The Reactions of Gandhi and Azad on Mountbatten Plan

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The reactions of Gandhi and Azad on Mountbatten Plan:

Lord Mountbatten who replaced Lord Wavell as the Viceroy in March 1947, resolved to effect the transfer of power at the earliest opportunity, and worked out a compromise after prolonged discussions with the leaders of congress and the league.

The 3 June Plan or the Mount batten Plan envisioned the actual division between the two new dominions. The border between India and Pakistan was determined by a British Government Commissioned report usually referred to as the Radcliffe Award after Sir Cyril Radcliffe. The main contents of the plan were

i. The Constitution framed by the Constitution Assembly would not be applicable to those parts of India who were unwilling to accept it.

ii. Punjab and Bengal were to be divided into two parts.

iii. Referendm was to be used to ascertain the public opinion in North-West Frontier Province and Sylhet district in Assam.

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iv. The British Government would cease to exercise Paramount over the Indian states after independence.

Gandhi and Azad reacted against the partition of India envisaged in the Mountbatten Plain. Gandhi was very much distressed and advised people not to accept partition by heart. He called the people to fight to reverse it. He was of the view that the plan was against the fraternity that the freedom movement has built over the years.

Azad also vehemently opposed Congress, nod to the plan. According to Azad, it was an Object surrender to the demands of the league. He viewed the plan as a deal by the leaders who succumbed to power temptation. However, later on they were forced to accept the plan.